


Perfect Machine

by ShinjiShazaki



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: F/F, OCs Included, Star Wars!au, rather self indulgent
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-25
Updated: 2019-12-25
Packaged: 2021-02-26 02:26:59
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,232
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21955858
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShinjiShazaki/pseuds/ShinjiShazaki
Summary: The mission to the planet of Remire should have been simple, as Jedi Knight Byleth Eisner was told.  When she and her Master Sothis are assaulted by another Force-user in the kyber crystal caverns, though, it is left to them to investigate the sources of the two disturbances in the Force in the Adrestia system.  One blazing like a wildfire, one as vast as the void of space, and all the while Byleth is entranced by the young emperor Edelgard von Hresvelg.Or; a long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away…
Relationships: Edelgard von Hresvelg/My Unit | Byleth
Comments: 25
Kudos: 105





	Perfect Machine

**Author's Note:**

> Byleth Eisner had been a Jedi Knight for six years before she was given the mission to search for a new source of kyber crystals on the planet of Remire. With her master Sothis with her, she had assumed it would a simple enough mission, with little possible contact with the Adrestia system’s emperor, Edelgard von Hresvelg.
> 
> It all became terribly complicated with the appearance of a Force-user in the kyber crystal caverns, and far more contact with the emperor than expected.

The mission to the planet of Remire was simple, or so Byleth Eisner was told. Because she was also told that her master, Sothis, would be accompanying her, she looked at the Jedi council of Garreg Mach Temple curiously. Sothis saw her raised brow and laughed.

“What a serious expression,” Sothis said. “You think we do not believe you can manage looking for the alleged source of kyber crystal on your own, don’t you.”

“A little, Master,” Byleth said. “I’ve been a knight for six years now.”

“It is politics,” Master Rhea said from her place at Sothis’s right side. “Remire is in the Adrestia system and part of the agreement with the emperor for us to check the crystal source is to send both a knight _and_ a master.”

“So I will be there with you, little one,” Sothis said, voice pleasant and smile bright. “We must be on our best behavior for the emperor.”

“Emperor,” Master Seteth said with a sigh from Sothis’s left side. “One wonders if Adrestia will ever join the Republic.”

“The Republic is not even _my_ age and I am only eight hundred and twenty-three,” Sothis said with another laugh. “A fifteen hundred year empire system like Adrestia will bow to no one.”

“All right, Master,” Byleth said, but there was a flat tone in her voice. Again, Sothis caught her, and her smile then was patient.

“You are still indelicate when it comes to politics,” Sothis said. “People will see you and expect you to be more…graceful. But my failing is that we spent more time training you in the Force and less time honing your people skills. I will work to correct that with you on this mission.”

“Thank you, Master,” Byleth said, and she calmed entirely as she always did in the face of Sothis’s smile.

“We are to leave in three days’ time. I would like to go over the details with you while we meditate.” Looking at Rhea and Seteth, she said, “I leave the day’s lessons with you.”

“Yes, Master Sothis,” they said, all of them bowing to her.

Sothis was the first to stand, touching Byleth’s shoulder to make her follow her out of the council chambers. As they went through the halls of the temple, every knight, padawan, and master-less student they met was greeted and briefly chatted with. Sothis, tall as she and Rhea were, took the time to crouch down for the youngest and smallest to see her face more easily. Though the youngest did not meet Byleth’s eyes, shyness in their gaze and posture, the older students did as they attempted to casually ask about when new padawans would picked by knights.

“Our council has yet to decide who will train who, children,” Sothis said to each of them, smiling gently. “But the decision will be made sooner than later this year.”

The students took heart and let them pass and continue on to the masters’ private meditation hall. Sothis sat on a cushion first, arranging her white and dark green robes as she crossed her legs. She gestured to the cushion opposite her, settling her hands in her lap as Byleth sat and arranged her dark gray and blue robes.

“Tell me, Byleth,” Sothis said, “what are your feelings about this mission?”

“Uncertain, Master,” Byleth said after a moment of thought. “How did we learn there might be a source of kyber crystals on Remire?”

“Those busybodies at the temple on Coruscant say their sensors picked it up,” Sothis replied with a dismissive flick of her fingers. “They asked us to look into it so they wouldn’t have to send any knights or masters to the outer rim. Since we’re _in_ the outer rim, we were the best choice.”

“You’re never going to like the Jedi on Coruscant, are you,” Byleth said, smiling slightly.

“I will like them when they stop treating love and attachments as sins of some sort. Without love I would not have had Rhea, and without love your mother would not have had you.” She closed her eyes, feeling a pulse in the Force, and murmured, “Your mother’s death still wounds you.”

“No,” Byleth said. She thought, and then said, “Yes. More for how it hurts my father. It still does—I feel it every time I visit and he looks at me.”

“I am not surprised by that,” Sothis said gently. “You are so similar to her. The very image of her, down to how dark blue your hair and eyes are. A rare color for any Nabatean.”

“Half Nabatean.”

“We cannot interbreed with humans like your father, little one,” Sothis chuckled. “Is it still so hard to believe that the Force had a hand in your conception?”

“Master Seteth doesn’t believe it,” Byleth sighed.

Sothis laughed outright. “Seteth will forever be a skeptic, even when the Force is _not_ being mysterious in its ways. Do not let him blind you.” Eyes still closed, she said, “Look for me in the Force, Byleth. Tell me what you see.”

Byleth closed her eyes and reached out in the Force, looking with sight beyond her senses. She said, “It’s like I’m looking at the sea. Vast and strong.”

“And what do you see when you look for yourself in the Force?”

Byleth sighed again and said, “Nothing, Master. The same as always.”

“That is because you still look on too small a scale,” said Sothis. “As Rhea and Seteth do when it comes to you. When _I_ look at you, I look beyond the limit you set on yourself and I see the expanse of space itself. So in tune with the Force that your light can only be matched by the stars.”

“It doesn’t really feel that way, Master,” Byleth said quietly, opening her eyes and looking down.

“The self is always the hardest to see in the Force,” Sothis replied. “One day, you will see yourself as you are.” She opened her eyes, saw the way Byleth’s eyes were downcast, and smiled. She stretched out her hand to pat Byleth’s head, saying, “And when you do, even our skeptic master will be proud of you.”

“Thank you, Master.”

“Of course, little one.” She looked about the room, raising her hand from Byleth’s head. She Pulled a wooden puzzle cube to her from a far corner of the room, offering it to Byleth. “Undo this while I speak.”

Byleth nodded, taking the cube with both hands. It took no effort to Lift the cube with the Force to hover over her hands, but more focus was needed to slowly and carefully disassemble the puzzle while listening.

“There is no Jedi presence in the Adrestia system,” Sothis said. “There are no temples and any Force-sensitive children are hidden to us. I have been in Garreg Mach all my life and I cannot recall a single person coming to us from that system even though it is so close.”

“Do they know they can come here even if they’re not younglings?”

“Children. You’ve been reading reports from Coruscant again if you’re using that ridiculous phrase.”

Byleth fought down a laugh. “Sorry, Master. I meant children.”

“Such teasing is part of why I am going with you, you know. The emperor of a planetary system will surely not tolerate a Jedi who chooses to tease.”

“Have you met them? The emperor?”

“I have not. Her name is Edelgard von Hresvelg and she comes from a house long distrustful of Jedi. As far back as when I was named master, the Hresvelg rulers were calling us kidnappers.”

“ _Kidnappers_?” Byleth said.

A piece of the puzzle snapped free of its brethren and would have shot across the room had Sothis not Pulled it safely to her. She Pushed it back to Byleth, raising a brow.

“But we’re _not_ ,” Byleth said. “Garreg Mach doesn’t take Force-sensitive children from their parents unless they agree.”

“We don’t _now_. In the age of the first Adrestian emperors, we followed the same practices of the oldest and worst Jedi masters. From what I understand, the masters here at that time took the firstborn prince and did not want to let him return to rule as emperor when he was grown.”

She looked at Byleth’s progress with the puzzle box, hummed, and said, “Turn it over and complete it backward.”

“Yes, Master,” Byleth said. She curled her fingers; the pieces turned over in the air before starting to reassemble.

“The boy fell to the dark side, it is said,” Sothis murmured. “He was raised to believe love and attachments to his people would lead him from the path, and so he strayed when he had to choose. His old master was forced to slay him to protect the people of Adrestia.”

Byleth opened her mouth, but closed it again without speaking. She looked at the puzzle box pieces and focused on them. Frowning, Sothis raised a hand and Held the pieces still.

“Speak your mind, Byleth,” she said. “It is worrisome when _you_ of all people choose to hold your tongue instead of blurting out a thought.”

“What would you do if I fell to the dark side?” Byleth asked.

“Bring you back,” Sothis said, voice mild with how simple she made the task sound. “There are ways back, little one. You must always remember that.” She smiled, patted Byleth’s head, and asked, “Are you thinking of falling in the near future?”

Byleth smiled back and said, “No, Master. Your story just made me curious.”

“Keep your morbid curiosity to a minimum when we are on our mission. The emperor must not have a reason to distrust us.”

“Are we going to meet her?”

“Once we have gone to Remire and confirmed that there is a source of kyber crystals,” Sothis replied. “If there are no crystals, we can send her a simple message.”

“And if we find a source?”

“Then we go to her to discuss how we may trade for the crystals. It will be easier for Jedi in the outer rim to build their lightsabers with crystals here.”

“I’ll be on my best behavior, Master,” Byleth said as she finished putting the puzzle back together.

Sothis took the puzzle, found it was put together perfectly, and fondly said, “I know you will, Byleth.”

————

Had any other master gone with Byleth, they would have taken separate ships. Sothis, however, had laughed when she’d first learned of her former students’ anxiety over Byleth piloting for them and asked her to always pilot for them whenever they left Garreg Mach. They departed at a speed most would consider startling, Byleth focused on the ship’s controls while Sothis sat back and watched her.

“I do not see why Rhea and Seteth are always so alarmed by your piloting skills,” Sothis said as they made the jump to lightspeed. “If ever we were beset by smugglers you would have them sorted in an instant.”

“I don’t think they like to go so fast, Master,” Byleth replied.

“Oh, they are still young,” Sothis laughed. “They should enjoy the thrilling things in life more often.”

Coming out of hyperspace near Remire, it had been Byleth’s intent to descend to the planet with the same high speed as they’d left the temple. Two sensations in the Force made her stop their ship entirely. Sothis did not turn to her, instead closing her eyes.

“There is a disturbance in the Force on the planet,” she said.

“Yes, Master, but there’s another one out there.”

“On the planet? I only sense one there.”

“The other is faint.” She feathered the controls of the ship to turn them. The ship’s nose rose above the planet’s horizon, and she said, “That direction.”

Sothis hummed and called up a star map on the display before them. Studying it, she said, “The rest of the system is in that direction. What do you sense?”

“I’m not sure. It’s like…a void. Like something should be there, but it’s not.”

“Hmm. Perhaps there are Force-sensitive individuals in the system after all. But our primary concern is on the planet here. I doubt the temple on Coruscant would have sent anyone in secret, so there appears to be another Force-user on the planet.”

Byleth feathered the controls again, turning them in a different direction. Quietly, she said, “That way. It feels like a fire burning. Like Master Rhea, but…larger. More intense.”

“I will not tell Rhea you think she is like fire,” Sothis said, calling up a planetary map. “She would prefer a calmer description, like how you say I am like the sea.”

“But it’s not an insult,” said Byleth. “Master Rhea—”

“Is like fire because of her temper,” Sothis chuckled. “Which she does not like to be reminded of, little one.” She put her hand on her chin as she reviewed the map. “That direction is where the scanners picked up traces of kyber crystal.” She turned to Byleth and asked, “What do your instincts tell you?”

“That we should be cautious.”

“Ah, you’re finally taking Seteth’s lessons to heart. Good. Then we shall be cautious.” She gestured as she sat back, letting Byleth focus on piloting their ship down to Remire’s surface. The planet was a mix of sparse towns and cities, grand forests, and great craggy valleys and cliffs. The scanner report brought them to the heart of one such valley, and Byleth landed the ship nearby on a flat tract of stony land.

“I don’t like this, Master,” Byleth said. “The disturbance in the Force went away as we came closer to this place.”

“Indeed it did,” Sothis murmured. “Which tells us two things.”

“That we’re in the right place for the crystals,” said Byleth, “and that someone’s already here?”

“Exactly. We will approach together—stay close to me.”

“Yes, Master.” She did as she was told as they left their ship, lightsabers secure on their belts. They kept the hoods of their cloaks down as they went, eyes scanning the hills and pointed ears perked up for sound. They spotted a gap in the hillside at the same time and headed for it.

“Crystal shards,” Byleth said, crouching down to pick up bits of dark green crystal. They gleamed brightly when she sent a pulse of energy into them through the Force. “And definitely kyber crystal.”

“The scans were correct, then.” Sothis moved closer to the gap, peering inside. She asked, “What do you feel, Byleth?”

“Whatever made that disturbance is in there somewhere.”

“Agreed. We shall go in cautiously. Do not draw unless I tell you or if you are attacked.” She smiled slightly and said, “Think of Seteth, not Rhea.”

“Yes, Master,” Byleth said with a small smile of her own.

Sothis went in first, hand near her lightsaber. Byleth followed, checking behind them as they went. The tunnel they entered opened almost immediately into a vast cavern, crystals of many colors peeking out through dirt and stone. Each Touch they sent out in search of the disturbance resonated within the crystals, causing them to hum and chime faintly. They followed a sloping path downward until they reached level ground, and from there they saw branching tunnels leading to more nodes and veins of crystal.

“It looks like someone’s been mining in here, Master,” Byleth said.

“Yes,” Sothis said quietly. “And in the way a Jedi would.” She moved toward a tunnel, one hand raised. “Kyber crystal fractures easily, but you can Pull them gently out of—”

They sensed it too late, a surge of power in the Force appearing behind them. Both spun, drawing their lightsabers, but Sothis was Slammed backward into the tunnel and had it summarily Smashed down to collapse on top of her. Byleth choked as her throat was Gripped; she dropped her lightsaber as she was Lifted off the ground entirely. Dangling by her throat, she grit her teeth and kept her eyes open as she was turned toward approaching footsteps.

All her life, Byleth had never known any humanoid taller than Sothis or Rhea. Even her father did not beat them out for height, but the woman who came out of the shadows managed it. Clad in tall black boots, black trousers tucked into them, and a long sleeveless red coat over a dark gray tunic, she reached out her left, leather-gloved hand to Grip Byleth’s throat. A gleaming black metal mask hid the lower half of her face, leaving her short black hair and bright gold eyes exposed.

There was always something to be heard and seen in the Force the first time Byleth took the time to look at a person beyond her senses, and the woman was no exception. The Force surged and writhed as flame would, whispering to her of fiercely controlled power. Her Grip was perfect; Byleth focused on drawing the tiniest breaths, staying conscious, and waiting.

For a moment, the woman simply looked at her, one brow raised with curiosity in her gaze. She reached with her right, bare hand to Pull Byleth’s lightsaber to her, activating it once it was in her grasp. She examined the dark blue blade, spinning the hilt in her hand to make the blade hum as it cut the air. Byleth stretched out a hand to Pull the lightsaber to her, but the woman Slammed her back into the far wall. Winded, Byleth hit the ground with stars in her eyes.

The sound of footsteps made her look up. The woman was approaching again, tossing Byleth’s lightsaber away. Byleth did not hesitate in Pulling the lightsaber to her, getting to her feet as she activated it, and lifting a hand. As the woman Leapt at her, two emerald green lightsabers drawn, Byleth took a deep breath and drew power from the Force. Exhaling sharply, she Slammed the woman clear across the cavern to hit the wall with enough force to break stone and crystal.

Byleth had no opportunity to relax, as the woman stood up in less than a second. Looking unfazed, the woman dusted off her shoulders and sleeves and kept her eyes on Byleth. She only looked away when rumbling became audible, both of them turning as the collapsed tunnel shifted. The rubble was Pushed away, Sothis dragging herself mostly free. Green blood was all down her face from a gash on her brow, and Byleth ran to her with her lightsaber raised in a guard.

The woman Leapt again, but her leap took her well over Bylet’s reach and onto the slope out of the cavern. She Ran and was out of sight in an instant, leaving them with the faintly chiming crystals.

“What in the name of the Force just happened?” Sothis said, words slurring.

“I don’t know,” Byleth said, helping her sit up. She brought her hands close to the gash to start Healing it. Sothis closed her eyes as the crystals hummed around them.

“Did you sense the dark side in them, Byleth?” she asked.

“I don’t know, Master,” Byleth admitted. “But she was definitely the source of the disturbance. She was like a wildfire—even more than Master Rhea is.”

“Then at the very best,” Sothis said, “we are dealing with a rogue Jedi. At the worst, there is a Sith in the Adrestia system. Either way, we have quite a lot to report to the emperor.”

————

“ _A rogue Jedi in that part of the galaxy?_ ” Seteth said over the long range comms as they made their way to Enbarr. “ _It’s certainly possible, but it will be difficult to track her name and origin. Even with your detailed description, Byleth._ ”

“ _The emperor will want to hear of it, I’m sure,_ ” Rhea said. “ _If the Hresvelg line hates Jedi as they once did, they will not abide by having a rogue in their system._ ”

“This is true,” Sothis said. “And she has already gotten the drop on us, so even more caution is needed when we arrive, Byleth.”

“Yes, Master,” Byleth said, but her voice was distant with thought. All three masters caught it, Rhea and Seteth glancing at each other as Sothis turned fully toward her.

“What are you thinking, little one?” Sothis asked.

“She had two lightsabers,” Byleth replied. “Why would she be mining kyber crystals?”

“ _Possibly to make new lightsabers,_ ” said Seteth. “ _Or to mine them for other rogues, or even Siths. It may even simply be for the money. Kyber crystals sell very well on any planet._ ”

“ _Whatever the case,_ ” Rhea said, “ _if this woman was able to throw both of you around and shrug off one of **your** attacks, Byleth, she is not to be taken lightly. If you need assistance—_”

“We will contact you, my dear one,” Sothis said, smiling gently as she reached out toward the hologram of Rhea. Rhea reached out in turn, their hands meeting without touching.

“ _Be careful, Mother,_ ” Rhea said. “ _And you, Byleth. May the Force be with you._ ”

“ _I will contact you with anything I find,_ ” Seteth said. “ _May the Force be with you._ ”

Sothis nodded to them, and to Byleth to close the line. The planet that soon came into view was the capitol planet of Enbarr, and Byleth stopped them close enough to use short range comms.

“This is Jedi Master Sothis of the Garreg Mach Temple,” Sothis said to the image of a man who appeared on their comms. “I request permission to land and speak with her imperial majesty in regard to the issue of kyber crystals on Remire.”

“ _Stand by,_ ” the man said before the line went quiet.

Byleth took the quiet moments to send a ripple in the Force down to the planet. What came back to her were echoes of living beings, some vigorous, some quiet, but none of them resonated with the Force. Just before the ripple faded entirely with distance, it brushed against the same void she’d felt at Remire. It was clearer than before, and she focused on it to guess its location.

“Little one.”

She brought her eyes back into focus and looked at Sothis. “Yes, Master?”

“We’ve been given permission to land at the palace,” Sothis said. “The coordinates were transmitted.”

“Right. Sorry, Master.” She checked the coordinates and set course for them.

“The void feeling?” Sothis asked as they entered Enbarr’s atmosphere.

Yes, Master. Whatever’s creating it is here.”

Sothis hummed and closed her eyes to focus. After a time, she said, “I feel it too, now. It is a familiar feeling—one I would not call ‘void.’”

“What?”

“Look without imposing a limit, little one. This is no void, it is—”

They both froze as the Force shifted. They looked at each other.

“Gone,” Byleth said.

“Indeed it is,” Sothis murmured. “It seems our rogue friend is here now and she is in league with someone similar to you.”

“Wonderful,” Byleth sighed, and she focused on flying over the vast cities of Enbarr. They were built equally of stone and metal, opulent and ornate at once but warm and inviting in tones of gold and red. The imperial palace was grand, sprawling out and up in many tall structures and spires. Each landing platform bore a flag with a two-headed black bird, its mighty talons gleaming gold and glittering in the midday light.

“I’d expect no less from such a long empire,” Sothis said as they landed. “Impressive, yes?”

“It is,” Byleth said. “But I prefer the temple.”

“One always prefers home,” she chuckled. “Ah, escorts.”

Byleth looked out the viewport. A tall man all in black was approaching with a cadre of guards in red, black, and gold.

“He is a grim-looking one,” Sothis said. “Perhaps leave the speaking to me for now.”

“Yes, Master,” Byleth said, and she opened the hatch for them to get out and meet the man and the guards.

“You are the Jedi,” the man said as they drew close.

“We are,” Sothis replied. “I am Sothis, and this is Jedi Knight Byleth Eisner.”

The man did not smile politely at them, instead frowning. He said, “I am Hubert von Vestra, her majesty’s retainer. Follow me.”

They bowed to him, Sothis moving to walk next to him with Byleth a step behind her and the guards a few paces back.

“You will keep your report to her majesty concise,” Hubert said. “You came at a poor moment.”

“Oh?” said Sothis. “How so?”

“Her majesty has pressing business,” he said, and he did not elaborate.

Byleth moved to watch Sothis’s face, catching how her brow furrowed with consideration. Her ears flicked before her brow smoothed out; Byleth felt the Force smooth out as well and knew Sothis would not ply anything from him.

The palace was as opulent within as outside, the floors and walls marble and beautiful dark wood. Its furnishings and decorations were all stone, polished shining metal, or more dark wood, and rugs they passed over were woven in deep hues. Guards were stationed in the halls, but many more stood outside the door Hubert led them to.

“You will address her majesty with the respect she is due,” Hubert said. “If at any time I deem you a threat, you will be put down.”

“Understood,” Sothis said, bowing to him.

Still he frowned, but he went to the door all the same. It opened for him and he went inside, Sothis and Byleth following. The room they stepped into was a small audience chamber, Adrestian flags hung along the walls but unfurnished save for the gold and crimson metal throne at the back of the chamber.

Sat atop the throne was a young woman dressed in a crimson tunic and black trousers, a white-lined cape on her shoulders and tall black boots on her feet. Her long white hair was left loose, a gold crown on her brow with slim, sharp horns of gold extending forward near her ears. Though her purple eyes went first to Sothis, they soon moved to Byleth and stayed on her, brows rising slightly.

There was always something to be heard and seen in the Force the first time Byleth took the time to look at a person beyond her senses, and the young woman was no exception. The Force whispered to her of power, of resolve, and it showed a steady shimmer like unto starlight in the fading night. Byleth held her breath to listen closer and held the woman’s gaze, too entranced to look away.

The look the woman gave her was openly curious, but she did not smile then. She lifted a hand to them as they approached, and they stopped to bow to her. Hubert straightened first to gesture to them.

“Your majesty,” he said, “these are the Jedi that went to Remire. Master Sothis and Knight Byleth Eisner.” He turned to them when they had straightened, gesturing to the woman as he said, “Her imperial majesty, Edelgard von Hresvelg.” He frowned and added, “Be _brief_.”

“Hubert,” Edelgard said, “I can make time for them.” Looking to Sothis, she said, “If you’ve come here, I assume it’s because there _are_ kyber crystals on Remire.”

“Yes, your majesty,” Sothis said. “But there was something more troubling on Remire that requires our attention.”

“Which is what?”

“We were met by another Force-user in the crystal cavern,” Sothis replied. “Someone well trained and wielding two lightsabers. They escaped after assaulting us and we believe they have come to Enbarr.”

“Another Jedi?”

“Possibly. Or possibly a Sith.”

“Isn’t your job to deal with rogues and Siths before they become a problem?” Hubert said bitingly.

“No being in the universe is perfect,” Sothis said, voice mild. “Your majesty, if you will allow it, we would like to track this Force-user down before she becomes a true problem.”

Edelgard said nothing. She glanced at Byleth and looked at Sothis to say, “You believe this person is on Enbarr. Why would she come here? We have no resources valuable to Jedi here.”

“Maybe it has something to do with our bad timing?” Byleth said, blurting the words out. She did not shrink back when all eyes turned to her, instead going on to say “Your retainer mentioned you have pressing business and that we shouldn’t keep you. Is something going on?”

“Discussions with the Faerghus system on them wanting to join the Republic together with Adrestia,” said Edelgard. “Nothing that should concern a rogue Jedi.” She raised a brow. “Unless you think there is a reason?”

“Rogues tend to sell their skills,” Sothis replied. “Is there any suspicion that these discussions will turn hostile?”

“That is the way of politics, Master Sothis.” She smiled slightly and asked, “Are you implying this rogue may be after my life?”

“We can’t ignore the possibility,” she said. “Will you allow us to track her?”

After a moment of thought, Edelgard said, “I suppose I have little recourse. A trained Force-user armed with lightsabers is not a foe I would like to face at this time. What do you require?”

“Somewhere to stay and provisions, as they could be spared,” Sothis said, bowing to her.

“Very well,” Edelgard said. “Hubert, find them rooms in the palace. I have a meeting and I will greet them later tonight as guests.”

“You have our thanks, your majesty,” Sothis said, bowing even more deeply. Byleth bowed as well, but she lingered a moment when Hubert made to lead them from the chamber. Gently, she sent a pulse in the Force to Edelgard. She looked up in time to se Edelgard sit up straighter and look about in confusion, and she smiled when Edelgard looked at her. Again, Edelgard looked at her with open curiosity, and again, she did not smile. She tipped her head to Byleth instead, and it was the last thing Byleth saw from her as she left the room to follow Hubert and Sothis away.

Edelgard remained on her throne, still and silent for a number of minutes after the door had closed. Eventually, she said, “No one is returning.” She turned to look behind her throne, watching the shadows cast by the Force fade away to reveal the masked woman.

“I would not recommend hiding in plain sight like that again,” Edelgard said.

The woman took off her mask to speak and replied, “Your master ordered me to stay and see your reaction to her.”

“Well,” Edelgard said, sitting back, “you both were right. It was just like seeing the void of space.” She sighed, touched the center of her chest, and murmured, “One wonders what the Jedi did to her to give her such power.”

“I imagine something similar to you,” the woman said, voice flat and unconcerned. “I’ve upheld my part of the bargain, your majesty. I ask that you uphold yours.”

“We still have need of you, Arav.”

“Noted. You may pay me more for more work _after_ I am given time to see my wife.”

“Very well. Contact me once you’ve had your time. My master and I will have more orders for you by then.”

“Understood,” she said, and she put her mask back on and dissolved into shadow and warped light before leaving the room. Edelgard remained, and she meditated on the sensation of the pulse Byleth had sent to her.

“Such a pity,” Edelgard murmured to herself, “that someone so remarkable would be in the hands of the Jedi.”

**Author's Note:**

> Find me at [my twitter](https://twitter.com/shinjishazaki') for more nonsense and to find other ways to support me!


End file.
